I’m surprised by my love for you
I didn’t realize there was much still there
But in the light of such tragic events
I saw glimpses that you still care
Not in entirety, but you’re not all cold
and it’s so refreshing to see
How God resides in parts of you
and ignites the God in me
It was nice to find you beautiful
It was nice to find you great
I’m praying for you, America
May God’s will be done in every state
© 2017 • Chan’tel Nikole Grayson
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.
– James 5:1-6 (NLT)
As representatives of Christ, any and everyone should clearly recognize who we are and Who we represent by the fruit that we produce. As of late, I feel such a burden to encourage the body of Christ to increase their level of integrity. So, I’m blasting my imaginary megaphone and shouting loud and clear…”COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM AND BE YE SEPARATE!” (See 2 Corinthians 6:17).
Are you telling a little white lie?
Not letting the cashier know he/she overcharged you?
Ordering water, but filling your cup up with soda?
California rollin’ through the stop sign?
Illegitimately parking in handicap for just a few minutes?
Leaving tags on purchased clothing, wearing them, and returning them?
CUT THAT OUT!
These are just a few examples of spirit-grieving acts that lack integrity. These may seem small, but as long as you’re dishonest in little, you will be dishonest with much (See Luke 16:10). If you relate, I encourage you to repent and ask the Holy Spirit to help you cut this out. Ask God to purge you and for His Spirit to fill you. We already know that sin pays in death, so don’t take the job! Our brother, Paul, has clearly felt our pain in this area. He said…
14-16 I can anticipate the response that is coming: “I know that all God’s commands are
spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?” Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.17-20 But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t doit. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23 It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
– Romans 7:14-24
You better believe that the world is watching, and more importantly, our Heavenly Father is watching. As long as we’re bound, we’re incapacitated; unable to properly strengthen the body and help them get free from their sins that once enslaved us.
Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. – Hebrews 10:26 (NLT)
Allow me to remind you of what the Lord hates…
Now let me remind you of the true definition of blessed…
There’s a huge misconception in the world, and even in the body of Christ of what it means to be BLESSED. Do not be deceived! Following Christ is not your ticket to wealth, prosperity and instant gratification. If that’s what you’re after, you ought to follow Satan (or maybe you are unknowingly). He’ll give it to you now, as a down payment for hell later. Following Christ is your ticket to Heaven. We endure now, and prosper in eternity later.
Now don’t get me wrong, the Lord does give material gifts, but from my personal experience, they start flowing once they don’t matter (ha!). The world oohs, ahhs and huffs and puffs in jealousy when they see your gifts, while all along in your heart, you’re like “pssh…this?”. God loves giving to these kind; they’re not discontent and adulterous lusting for more.
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
– Philippians 3:18 (NLT)
So my younger brother has excellent taste in movies and yesterday he recommended yet another Netflix delight — a documentary film by the name of Craigslist Joe. If you haven’t heard of it, I’ll sum it up for you like this:
Joe is a guy who decided to do an experiment. For one month he would live completely off of Craigslist and see where it leads him. He had no money, got a new phone and number, and didn’t communicate with anyone from his old life other than a guy he met on Craigslist prior to, to film the entire thing.
I shot a text to my uncle (another movie lover) recommending he check out the documentary but all he cared to know was, “How did it end?”. That was a good question. How did it end? I thought. How quickly I had forgotten about the details of the documentary. I was focused on it’s impact and inspiration.
Here I was watching another adventurous individual, Joe, or, “my friend in my head” as Wendy Williams would say (ha – don’t judge me) whose experiment turned into an amazing pay-it-forward movement. The documentary ended and I said, “God, I’m in!”…
1) Because I secretly love roughing it and succeeding with flying colors. And,
2) I’m a lover and I’m still here.
Now I’m not crazy…I’m not about to go hitch rides with strangers or really “rough it” alone (any takers? jk), but I do desire to do what I can safely and more importantly, lovingly. I believe we all share that in common; the purpose to love. God has finely created us with many gifts, talents, and characteristics to do what he has purposed us to do, and love is the foundation of all of it. God is love.
So this is what I did…
I went on Craigslist and browsed ads. Some ads were indeed discouraging like some guy who wanted help euthanizing a frickin’ pit bull. Umm…yea, no thanks! But just when I’d seen one too many ads that didn’t fancy me, there it was; Laura. Verbatim, it read:
“hello i am a single mother ineed of clothes and shoes for my
two children i have a 5 year old daughter and a 2 year old boy .
i am really ineed of shoes and clothes for them as they fit at there size
and also would appreciate if someone made there wish come true for
them to have a good easter and helped me with easter baskets and eggs for them
to have a good easter please if someone would love to help me i would really apprecite it
you can please email me back and would respond instantly
god bless you :)”
Now I don’t have any kids and could not provide clothes, but by the grace of God and thanks to Craigslist, Netflix, and Joe, my brother and I were able to make some kids smile by expressing love in the form of Easter Baskets. Darn, I should have taken pictures!
Any who…have a wonderful ressurection celebration loves! Let us not forget why we’re here!
